The Income Tax department on Tuesday took to the strategy of 'naming and shaming' of some large tax defaulters, as it published names of 18 entities who owe over Rs 500 crore tax to the exchequer.

"The step is aimed to publicise and put these names in public domain so that the common man can come forward to help the department in knowing the whereabouts of these. The step is to enhance public awareness against these entities who are acting against law. These names were earlier were put up on the department's website earlier," a senior I-T officer said.

Newspapers on Tuesday carried the names of the tax defaulters and the data published was quoted to have been published by the Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (Administration) based in the national capital.

Adopting an aggressive approach, the government has for the first time gone public with names of 18 tax defaulters, including Goldsukh Trade and Somani Cements which according to the tax department have turned wilful defaulters.In a bid to force these entities paying their dues, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had asked the I-T department to post on its website, a few days back the names of 18 defaulters, of whom 11 are based in Gujarat.

"Defaulters are advised to pay tax arrears immediately," said the notice.

"This is the first time the department has put in public domain a list of those wilful tax defaulters who have a tax liability of Rs 10 crore and above," a senior tax official had said, adding that in many cases the assessees were not "traceable".

"The department, in the public notice, has provided the PAN number and the last known address of these defaulters for the public to know," the official added.

The official said periodically the department has been proposing "naming and shaming" of wilful defaulters and the step has now been taken on the last day of the current financial year, ending March 31.